Immigration activists are revving up their fight to pass reform legislation before Thanksgiving, fearing that politicians will back down from the battle if it rolls into the 2014 campaign season for midterm elections.

However, the Arizona Republic reportedSunday that the government shutdown damaged the reform efforts and "the profound lack of trust between House Republicans and the White House all but ensures the issue won't proceed this year."

"House Republicans will not do this if they see it as 'the president just beat us and now he’s going to shove this down our throats,'" said Tamar Jacoby, president of ImmigrationWorks USA, a pro-immigration reform group.

"That is just not a way to get it done. What could potentially make it doable is if people see it as good for the country, good for the party and something that is basically framed as a conservative reform, which is the opposite of doing something because President Obama is muscling them," Jacoby said.

Immigration reform advocates marched on Washington during the government shutdown and hundreds were arrested for illegally blocking the street, while supporters in the business community are planning a "National Immigration Fly-In" to Washington on Oct. 28 to lobby lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle.

President Barack Obama pledged last week to renew his efforts to get a Senate bill through the Republican-controlled House that would grant amnesty for 11 million illegal immigrants.

House Republican leaders say they will consider individual bills to shore up border protections, but legislation allowing amnesty has not yet been introduced.

Immigration activists are revving up their fight to pass immigration reform before Thanksgiving fearing that politicians will back down from the battle if it rolls into the 2014 campaign season for midterm elections.
However, the Arizona Republic reported Sunday that the...